A variety of machines utilize specialized instruments for monitoring and recording various operating parameters. In the avionics context, it is common for an aircraft instrument panel to have a number of instruments positioned therein and viewable by a pilot. A typical design includes a mounting device which is configured to mount to a back side of an instrument panel such that the instrument extends through the instrument panel and is supported by the device. A great many different closing/clamping mechanisms for instrument mounting devices have been proposed over the years, some meeting with significant commercial success. A variety of challenges, some specific to the avionics context, continue to drive the search for improved designs.
On the one hand, properly grounding an instrument mount to the instrument panel can be difficult with certain designs. In modern high powered avionics applications, a low electrical resistance between an instrument and an instrument panel, and the chassis of the instrument is typically required. To a certain extent, instrument mount design has been driven by this concern. The problem has typically been overcome by brazing a mounting part of the device to a body thereof. This technique, while often effective, is relatively labor intensive.
Another challenge to engineers designing instrument mounts and the like relates to the actual design of the mechanism by which such devices are clamped or closed about an instrument. The closing mechanism is typically actuated via rivets, screws, etc. which attach the closing mechanism to the body of the instrument mount. These devices also tend to be relatively labor-intensive to assemble. Moreover, with such designs, tighter clamping force on the instrument can render the mount susceptible to failure due to the relatively high forces applied to the rivets, screws, etc.
It will thus be readily apparent that avionics instrument mounts which are stronger, simpler and more reliable than conventional devices would be welcomed by the industry.